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April Fools’! That’s literally the day when the District’s celebrated Yoshino cherry trees are now predicted to hit their peak bloom stage, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
NPS on Tuesday revised its peak bloom forecast to April 1, from April 3 to 6, the dates that the park service initially announced earlier this month. “Peak bloom” means when seven in 10 of the hundreds of Yoshino cherry trees at the Tidal Basin and National Mall have opened.
Warmer temperatures in the coming days are anticipated to boost the cherry trees’ growth. As of Monday, the trees were in the “peduncle elongation” stage, NPS said. In early March, the Capital Weather Gang forecast that peak bloom would take place between April 1 and 5.
Peak Bloom Update! - Determining the peak bloom date requires checking both the forecast and where the trees are in the blooming process. The indicator tree is in full bloom & with temps forecast for the upper 70s this weekend, we now predict peak bloom will occur April 1! pic.twitter.com/OiRuecocu9
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) March 26, 2019
Wake the kids and call the neighbors - IT'S PEDUNCLE ELONGATION, PEOPLE!!! #BloomWatch #StageFour #TwoMoreToGo #snicker pic.twitter.com/ZSW4EqkKM6
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) March 25, 2019
The 2019 National Cherry Blossom Festival started on March 20 and goes through April 14. For the length of it, Metro is suspending most of its weekend track work to benefit visitors.